The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-08-12
responsibility

Being OF a clerical nature, We were seat
ed at the desk to prepare a discourse for
some future occasion. We took the sub
jet Responsibility, and for the text
Lukef2:4S-sFor unto whomsover much is
given, of him shall be much required.
While reviewing the ac~countableness of
man to God and mankind, we went to
sleep and dreamed a dream. We dreamed
it was the morning of election day in No
vcmber, 1887. After family prayer, in
which. as usual, we prayed that mankind
might escape the snares of Satan, especially
that Of the Intoxicating cup. we breakfast
cd and set out for the polls. We at once
voted and set diligently at work in the in
terest of our grand old party. We had not
been engaged long until we were asked
by a Prohibitionist why we voted and
worked for that party in preference to vot-
ing for Cod, and home, and the overthrow
Of the rum traffic. We answered that we
voted SO INSTRUMENTATION
our fathers voted so, and We did not think
we ought to be the first to forsakc the old
party, and that We would rob the rum
traffic of its Nervousness by putting it into
rospecta BILE hands through high license.
In the evening, a winters storm approach
ing, we hurried home to find a good sup
per and q blazing fire awaiting us. After
supper we were seated by the fire, feeling
glad we had escaped the then bowling
storm, and thinking how faithfully we had
worked during the day, when suddenly a
noise as of a cry of many children seemed
to be borne upon the wind. Children cry
ing Of cold for want of clothes; crying of
hunger for want of food: crying of pain for
being beaten; crying for shelter from TIE
storm, having no home; crying because of
w~retchedness and misery. What is this,
we asked. 4 voice replied. These are the
cries Of the 200, geo Of children annually re-
duced to a state worse than orphanagc by
the rum traffic. Somebody is responsible,
we said. Then another cry arose. \ cry
worse than that which wcntup from Egypt.
\ cry greater than was heard in T,amah
when Rachel was weeping for her children
and would not be conferred, because they
were not. What was this This was the
wailing of the multitude of mothers, be
cause their sons had fallen victims of the
rum traffic. Somebody is responsible, we
said. Still another and more appalling cry
was again heard-cries Of imprecations,
cursings, agony and death. This was the
dying cry of the 60, 600 drunkards annually
sent to drunEard's graves by the rum traf-
fic. Somebody is responsible, We said.
This last cry was so terrible that We awoke.
let, alas. how true. And who is respon-
sible? In whose hands rests the affairs of
this government? While we, the people,
pray against the influence of the rum
traffic, do we vote against or forit? When
the Indians on the frontier murdered a few
families, an army was sent to eXterminate
them. While the ram traffic is destroying
thousands, soul and body, is it eXtermina-
ted Voter are you not responsible Fol
lower Of Christ, are You not responsible ?
Has nothing been given? VIII nothing
be required? The Bible has warned YOU:
the pulpit has warned you; your conscience
has warned you; the death Of your drunk
Ell ncighbor has warned you; the state of
your Incorporate boy has warned you to
pnt do WI the run traffic. Are you doing
il? Oh. consider. my people doth o
consider" says Jehovah. "For INTO
w~homsover much is given, much shall be
required. &c. " Vance, IN Men Fra.